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Lotte Giants Sign Enderson Franco

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TODAY: Franco’s deal with the Giants is official, as per Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News (Twitter link).  Franco will earn $300K in guaranteed money ($245K in salary, $55K as a signing bonus) and another $200K is available to him in incentives.

NOVEMBER 15: Right-hander Enderson Franco is close to a deal with KBO’s Lotte Giants, according to Bae Joong-hyun of Ilgan Sports (hat tip to Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net).  The contract will become official once Franco’s medical check is complete.

Franco will go to one Giants organization from another, as he elected to become a free agent earlier this month after spending the previous two seasons in San Francisco.  This stint resulted in Franco making his MLB debut during the 2019 season, appearing in five games and posting a 3.38 ERA over 5 1/3 relief innings.  He didn’t see any action in 2020, however, as the Giants outrighted Franco off their 40-man roster in June, and he wasn’t included in the team’s alternate training site roster.

The move to South Korea is the latest stop in a pro career that began as an international signing with the Astros in 2009.  Over 10 minor league seasons with the Astros, Rays, Marlins, Braves, and Giants, Franco amassed a 4.57 ERA, 2.64 K/BB rate, and 7.0 K/9 over 889 1/3 innings, starting 163 of his 183 career games on the farm.

NPB/KBO Notes: Ohno, Alcantara, Romero, Bour

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Left-hander Yudai Ohno announced this week that he plans to stay with NPB’s Chunichi Dragons, and MLB.com’s Jon Morosi now adds that the star southpaw inked a three-year pact with the Dragons. Ohno has drawn some MLB interest, but it seems the 32-year-old will stay in Japan for the long term. Given that he’ll be 35 by the time this contract draws to a close, it’s fair to wonder whether he’ll ever pursue an MLB opportunity. The lefty was masterful in 2020, completing 10 of his 20 starts en route to a 1.82 ERA and a 148-to-23 K/BB ratio in 148 2/3 frames. Sports Info Solutions’ Will Hoefer profiled Ohno (among others) following the 2019 season, noting a three-pitch mix — fastball, slider, splitter — with velocity that runs up to 94 mph.

A few more notes from NPB…

  • Former A’s righty Raul Alcantara was named the Choi Dong-won Award winner in the Korea Baseball Organization this week, writes Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency. Alcantara follows Josh Lindblom, who won the award in both 2018 and 2019, as the third straight former big leaguer to win the KBO’s Cy Young equivalent. The 27-year-old right-hander logged a pristine 2.54 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and just 1.4 BB/9 across 31 starts, totaling 198 2/3 innings of work on the whole. The 2020 campaign was Alcantara’s second in the KBO and first with the Doosan Bears, the team for which Lindblom previously starred. It’s not clear at this point whether Alcantara will explore a return to the Majors or look to further build his stock overseas. This year was a breakout for Alcantara, who pitched to a 4.01 ERA with the KT Wiz in 2019. He played this season on a one-year, $700K deal and should command a healthy raise from the Bears or another club if he wishes to return for a third season in the KBO.
  • Former Mariners outfielder Stefen Romero has drawn some interest from Major League clubs, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports (via Twitter). The 32-year-old last appeared in the Majors with Seattle but has spent the past four seasons in Japan: 2017-19 with the Orix Buffaloes and 2020 with the Rakuten Golden Eagles. The right-handed-hitting Romero has put together a .272/.354/.539 slash with 24 homers, 19 doubles and a pair of triples in 2020 and owns an overall .269/.337/.505 slash in four NPB seasons. Those numbers include a down year in ’18, but Romero has produced at a high level over the past two years. It’s not clear whether a 32-year-old corner-only outfielder can parlay that showing into a big league deal, but it’s at least worth remembering that he’s an option for clubs seeking low-cost outfield help. Romero could probably get another solid contract in Japan, of course, so it’s far from a given that he’ll return to North American ball.
  • Justin Bour isn’t expected to return to the Hanshin Tigers for a second season, per the Japan Times. The 32-year-old former Marlins/Phillies/Angels first baseman signed a one-year deal worth about $2.55MM with the Tigers last offseason but didn’t quite meet the club’s expectations, slashing .243/.338/.422 with 17 homers and eight doubles in 379 trips to the plate. The six-year big league veteran carries a career .262/.345/.490 slash against right-handed pitching in the Majors, so he could reemerge as a depth option for a club at first base or designated hitter this winter.

KBO’s Eric Jokisch Considering MLB Return

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Korea Baseball Organization left-hander Eric Jokisch had a brief run with the Cubs in 2014, but he hasn’t pitched in the majors since then. It’s possible Jokisch will return to baseball’s highest level next season, though, as Robert Murray of Fansided tweets that he’s “considering” a comeback and is garnering interest from MLB teams.

An 11th-round pick of the Cubs in 2010, Jokisch spent most of his stateside time in the minors, including a 570 2/3-inning run at the Triple-A level with the affiliates of Chicago, Miami, Arizona and Oakland. The soft-tossing Jokisch combined for a 4.02 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in Triple-A ball with those organizations. He did, however, post a sterling 1.88 ERA (alongside a far less encouraging 5.30 FIP) with 6.28 K/9, 2.51 BB/9 and a 51 percent groundball rate in his lone taste of MLB action – a 14 1/3-inning sample size.

While Jokisch, now 31, hasn’t established himself in the majors, he has performed brilliantly since immigrating to Korea before the 2019 campaign. In his two seasons in the KBO, Jokisch has pitched to a 2.66 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 over 335 1/3 frames. Jokisch won the ERA title in the KBO in 2020, Murray notes, and now MLB teams are taking notice.

KBO’s Lotte Giants Re-Sign Dixon Machado

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The Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization have re-signed infielder Dixon Machado, per a team announcement (h/t to Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net). It’s a one-year deal with a club option for 2022. Machado will make $650K in the first year of the deal, and he would pick up another $800K if the option were exercised, Kurtz reports. The option comes with a $50K buyout, bringing the total guarantee to $700K.

Machado hit .280/.356/.422 (105 wRC+) with twelve home runs over 551 plate appearances in 2020, his first season of KBO action. He was the Giants’ primary option at shortstop, starting 139 contests over a 144-game slate. That solid performance was evidently enough for the team to keep him in the fold for the time being.

The 28-year-old is more well-known to U.S. fans for his major league stint with the Tigers. Once a decently-regarded prospect in the Detroit system, Machado only managed a .227/.285/.295 line over parts of four MLB seasons.

KBO’s SK Wyverns Sign Wilmer Font, Artie Lewicki

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SK Wyverns of the Korea Baseball Organization announced the signings of right-handers Wilmer Font and Artie Lewicki to one-year contracts.  (Hat tip to Jeeho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency.)  Font’s deal will pay him $1MM, while Lewicki will earn $750K and can potentially land another $100K in incentives.

Font chose free agency after being outrighted off the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster at the end of the season.  The 30-year-old had a rough time over 16 1/3 innings in 2020, posting a 9.92 ERA and nine walks over that limited sample size.  Font has a 5.54 ERA in 144 2/3 innings since the start of the 2018 season, though some inconsistency was perhaps inevitable since Font suited up for five different organizations in 2018-19.

Over his various stops and in various usages as a reliever and starter, Font displayed some quality at times, such as a 3.66 ERA, 12.1 K/9, and 4.82 K/BB rate over 39 1/3 innings with the Jays in 2019.  While he has started 22 of his 96 career Major League games, most of Font’s “starts” in recent years have been as an opener, though it is possible the Wyverns could deploy him as a traditional starter in 2021.

Reports from last weekend suggested that Lewicki was closing in on a deal with SK Wyverns, and the 28-year-old will now head overseas after being released by the Diamondbacks.  Lewicki posted a 5.14 ERA over 49 innings with the Tigers in 2017-18 before missing all of 2019 due to Tommy John surgery.  The D’Backs claimed him off waivers after the 2018 season and he returned to the mound to toss 3 1/3 frames of work for Arizona during the 2020 season.

In other SK Wyverns news, the team also announced that first baseman Jamie Romak has been re-signed to a one-year, $1.15MM deal.  Romak has excelled in his four seasons with the Wyverns, hitting .283/.383/.553 with 135 homers in 2199 plate appearances since joining the Incheon-based team in 2017.  A veteran of 18 seasons in pro ball, Romak’s career includes a one-season stint in Japan, 14 years in the minor leagues with seven different organizations, and 27 MLB games for the Dodgers and Diamondbacks in 2014-15.

Hyeon-Jong Yang Expected To Pursue MLB Opportunities This Winter

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Kia Tigers lefty Hyeon-jong Yang is expected to explore offers from MLB teams this winter, Jeeho Yoo of South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency tweets. The former KBO MVP is wrapping up a two-year deal with the same Tigers club with which he’s spent the past 14 seasons.

If Yang’s name sounds familiar to MLBTR readers, it’s likely due to the fact that the Tigers posted the southpaw for big league clubs back in the 2014-15 offseason. That was in the days of a since restructured posting system between MLB and the KBO, wherein all 30 big league clubs had the option of submitting a blind bid on what release fee they’d pay a player’s club. Yang’s Tigers did not feel that the winning bid — believed to be submitted by the Rangers — was enticing enough to part with their top pitcher.

Yang returned to the KBO and even signed a pair of free-agent deals with the Kia organization, but he’ll now apparently gauge MLB interest this winter. As a 14-year pro, he’s exempt from international signing restrictions and can sign a Major League contract for any amount or length.

The 2020 season hasn’t been a strong one for Yang, however, as his 4.46 ERA is his highest mark since the 2012 season. That said, Yang also ranks 14th among KBO pitchers with a 4.02 FIP (min. 50 innings pitched), and this year’s 8.1 K/9 mark is his highest since the 2014 season that led to his original posting. Assuming he finishes out this season healthy, Yang will have averaged 30 starts per season over his past seven years. He’s pitched to a 3.52 ERA with a 1074-to-410 K/BB ratio in 1267 frames over that seven-year span.

Of course, clubs will be far more interested in what they project Yang to be in 2021 than in what he’s done since his age-26 season. He’ll turn 33 next March, meaning he’s on the wrong side of a player’s typical prime, but considering the perennial offseason demand for pitching, it’s easy to envision some big league clubs taking a speculative look at a durable, low-risk flier for the rotation. Yang’s countryman, Kwang Hyun Kim, signed a two-year, $8MM deal with the Cardinals last winter when he was two years younger and was coming off a better platform. It’ll obviously be a different market for pitching this year, but there’s little precedent for a pitcher of Yang’s age commanding a sizable Major League deal in his first bite at the apple.

KBO Posting Period Pushed Back Slightly

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The period during which teams in the Korea Baseball Organization can post players for MLB teams to bid on has been pushed back by nine days, Jee-ho Yoo of South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reports. Posting eligibility typically falls between Nov. 1 and Dec. 5, but that will move to Nov. 10 through Dec. 14 in 2020 to align with shifts in the KBO schedule that were brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kiwoom Heroes shortstop Ha-Seong Kim will be the highest-profile name posted, though Yoo also notes that NC Dinos outfielder/designated hitter Sung-Bum Na is eligible for posting as well. Yoo previously reported that Na had hired the Boras Corporation to represent him during potential negotiations with big league clubs, and the outfielder spoke with ESPN’s Marly Rivera earlier this season about his desire to test himself in the Major Leagues. His ability to do so will depend on the Dinos’ willingness to post him, of course. He’s played eight full KBO seasons and would be eligible for free agency next winter, so this would seemingly be the time for the Dinos to make such a move.

Unlike the 24-year-old Kim, Na is closer to the tail end of his prime. He celebrated his 31st birthday just last week and, as Yoo points out, missed most of the 2019 season due to a knee injury. Neither of those facts will do his market any favors, but it’s also hard to overlook just how potent his bat has been when healthy. Na has posted a sensational .318/.387/.600 slash with 31 homers and 31 doubles this season — maintaining a gaudy line even as the offensive levels in the long-hitter-friendly KBO have come down in recent seasons. That checks in more than 50 percent better than league-average, by measure of wRC+, and the 2020 season would be the third time in four years he’s been at least 50 percent better than an average KBO hitter.

It’s easy to get excited by those numbers, though Baseball America ranked Na fifth among potential MLB talents in the KBO earlier this spring and called him a potential platoon right fielder. The left-handed-hitting Na has a strong arm that would fit the position, but his lofty strikeout rates (26.7 percent in the KBO this year) will surely give teams some pause in wondering how his bat will play against Major League pitching.

For those who need a refresher or who are unfamiliar with the posting process, the latest set of rules agreed upon between MLB and the KBO stipulate that all 30 clubs will be able to negotiate with a player who is posted. The posting fee paid to that player’s former team will be tied directly to the size of the contract he signs. It is a separate sum that is paid out to the KBO club as opposed to an amount that is subtracted from the player’s eventual contract. A signing team would pay 20 percent of the contract’s first $25MM, plus 17.5 percent of the next $25MM and an additional 15 percent on any dollars guaranteed beyond $50MM.

With regard to contractual options and incentives, those clauses are also subject to subsequent fees. A Major League team would only be immediately responsible for posting/release fees on the guaranteed portion of the contract. But if a player’s new team in the Majors exercised a club option down the road, for instance, that team would owe a supplemental fee to the player’s former KBO club once the option is picked up.

KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes To Post Ha-Seong Kim This Offseason

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The Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization will post star shortstop Ha-Seong Kim for Major League clubs this winter, MLBTR has learned. He’d previously voiced a desire to be posted, and the team plans to honor those wishes this winter. All 30 Major League clubs will have the opportunity to bid on the infielder, who’ll turn just 25 years old next week.

Kim’s youth sets him apart from most other players who have made the jump from the KBO (or Japan’s NPB) to the Major Leagues. Current rules in the KBO stipulate that a player cannot be posted until he has accrued seven years of service time. Unrestricted free agency is granted after nine years. Kim’s first full season in the KBO came at just 18 years of age, however, which has him on pace to become available to MLB clubs a few years sooner than most of his peers. He’ll still meet the minimum age (25) and experience (at least six years) requirements set by Major League Baseball in order to be considered a professional rather than an amateur, meaning he can sign a Major League deal of any length and any amount.

While Kim didn’t hit much in that aforementioned rookie season — not surprising given his age — he’s been an average or better bat each year since, by measure of wRC+. However, it’s been the past two years in which Kim has taken his game to a new level. Baseball America’s Kyle Glaser wrote back in early May that Kim would be a Top 100 prospect if he signed at that point, and that was before Kim built on his 2019 breakout with a .304/.396/.522 slash in his first 551 plate appearances in 2020.

Dating back to Opening Day 2019, Kim is a .306/.392/.505 hitter — good for a 141 wRC+. In 2020, Kim has slugged a career-high 27 homers, walked more often than he’s struck out (67 to 58) and gone a perfect 21-for-21 in stolen bases. Over the past two seasons, he’s swiped 64 bags in 68 tries. Kim has also won multiple Gold Glove Awards for his work at shortstop in Korea and has some experience at third base. Given his age and 2019-20 breakout, he should draw interest from a wide range of Major League teams.

For those who need a refresher or who are unfamiliar with the posting process, the latest set of rules agreed upon between MLB and the KBO stipulate that all 30 clubs will be able to negotiate with Kim. The posting fee paid to the Heroes will be tied directly to the size of the contract signed by Kim. It is a separate sum that is paid out to the Heroes as opposed to an amount that is subtracted from Kim’s eventual contract. A signing team would pay 20 percent of the contract’s first $25MM to the Heroes, plus 17.5 percent of the next $25MM and an additional 15 percent on any dollars guaranteed beyond $50MM.

With regard to contractual options and incentives, those clauses are also subject to subsequent fees. A Major League team would only be immediately responsible for posting/release fees on the guaranteed portion of the contract. But if Kim’s new team in the Majors exercised a club option for the 2025 or 2026 season, for instance, that team would owe a supplemental fee to the Heroes once that option is picked up.

Kim’s forthcoming addition to the 2020-21 class of free agent shortstops adds some youth to a group that is headlined by Didi Gregorius, Marcus Semien, Andrelton Simmons and Jonathan Villar. Of that bunch, only Gregorius enjoyed a quality year by his standards, while each of the other three will be hoping for rebounds (to varying extents).

KBO’s Samsung Lions Place Tyler Saladino On Waivers

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The Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization have waived former big league infielder Tyler Saladino, per Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency. The move opens a spot for Daniel Palka, whose previously reported agreement with the Lions is now official.

Saladino has been excellent with the Lions this season, but he’s currently out with a back injury. The Lions, who at 34-34 are still in the playoff mix, seemingly did not expect Saladino back in the near future. Otherwise, there’d be little reason to justify cutting bait on a player who’d slashed .280/.411/.477 with six homers and six steals apiece through 163 plate appearances. It was a strong showing for the 31-year-old Saladino — one that could perhaps create additional opportunities in South Korea or Japan once he’s worked back to health. Alternatively, Saladino may opt to pursue a new opportunity with a big league club.

In parts of five Major League seasons between the White Sox and Brewers, Saladino is a .226/.278/.330 hitter through 1064 plate appearances. He’s appeared at every position other than catcher and pitcher in the Majors, and in his 44 games with the Lions, Saladino saw action at third base, first base, shortstop and in left field.

KBO’s Samsung Lions Close To Deal With Daniel Palka

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The Samsung Lions of the KBO League are closing in on a deal with outfielder Daniel Palka, according to DKTV’s Daniel Kim (Twitter link).  The White Sox still control Palka’s rights, though since he was outrighted off their 40-man roster last November and wasn’t included on the team’s 60-man player pool this month, Palka doesn’t appear to be in Chicago’s future plans.

Palka burst into the majors in 2018 and finished fifth in AL Rookie Of The Year balloting on the strength of his 27 homers in 449 plate appearances, though his overall batting line (.240/.294/.484) didn’t hint at much beyond raw power.  A brutal start to the 2019 season led to a pretty quick demotion to the minors for Palka, and he didn’t receive much more extended playing time until September, finishing with an ugly .372 OPS over 93 PA for the season.

There’s a lot of swing-and-miss in Palka’s game, as he struck out 188 times over his 542 Major League plate appearances, though he has shown considerable more promise at the plate during his minor league career.  Over 2287 PA in the farm systems of the Diamondbacks, Twins, and White Sox, Palka hit .269/.349/.500 with 136 homers.  A move to South Korea and the hitter-friendly KBO League could be just what Palka needs to get his career back on track and perhaps improve his stock for a future contract with a North American club.

Palka would be taking the roster spot left open by another former big leaguer in Tyler Saladino, who is out of action with a back injury.  Kim notes that Saladino has been sidelined since July 14, and the fact that the Lions are already lining up a replacement would seem to indicate that the injury could be serious.  Performance-wise, Saladino has an impressive .280/.411/.477 slash line through 163 PA in his first KBO season.

Saladino signed with the Lions last winter, coming on the heels of 326 MLB games with the White Sox and Brewers from 2015-19.  By coincidence, Saladino and Palka were both members of the 2018 White Sox, though Saladino was already off to Milwaukee before Palka made his big league debut.

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